Marino Makes Pitch for Manning

Marino Makes Pitch for Manning

Article excerpt

If former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning wants to
talk about playing for the Miami Dolphins, Dan Marino would be
thrilled to take his call.

And just in case, Marino has his sales pitch ready.

"There's great tradition there. We've had a couple off years but
believe me, they'll be back," said Marino, a Hall of Famer who threw
for 420 touchdowns and more than 61,000 yards in his Dolphins
career. "It's a great franchise and they'll get it turned around."

Manning would almost certainly help in that quest, which largely
started when Marino retired more than a decade ago.

From the moment four-time MVP Manning parted Wednesday with the
Indianapolis Colts, buzz about Manning has been growing in Miami --
much of it fueled by the quarterback's arrival in South Florida
shortly after becoming an NFL free agent for the first time. Manning
insists he doesn't know what his next move will be, and Marino
believes him.

"I think he fits with anybody," Marino said Thursday at a charity
golf tournament. "He's one of the best to ever play the game at that
position. So wherever he ends up playing, if he's healthy, which is
going to be important to Peyton, I'm sure he wants to go out there
and play at a high level. Wherever he plays, he'll be a huge impact
for that team."

The Dolphins are believed to be one of the teams interested in
adding Manning; Miami plays a game at Indianapolis next season.
Washington, Arizona, Seattle, Denver and Kansas City also are likely
to talk to him, along with the Jets -- a team that shares a stadium
with the Giants and Manning's two-time, Super Bowl-winning brother
Eli. ESPN reported Thursday that Manning will make a decision within
the next week and wants to stay in the AFC.

"I know he likes the weather here in Miami, but I have no idea
where he's going to go," said wide receiver Pierre Garcon, who
caught 10 touchdown passes from Manning in 2009 and '10. "I could
not tell you anything."

Added Reggie Wayne, who has been working out with Manning: "I
don't know. …